Okanagan seniors protest for better pensions

The province’s seniors advocate says 84 per cent of low-income seniors reported running out of money to buy food.

This week, some Okanagan seniors are making their voices heard to prevent themselves from falling further behind.

“Pensioners sit at home, worried sick all month long to see if they will make it to the end of the month,” said Carole Fawcett, who organized Thursday’s rally in Vernon.

Seniors were stretched along Highway 97 as they protested for better pensions and support.

“We’ve seen a huge erosion in our ability to meet our needs,” said Lynn Jones, one of the protesters.

“You gotta eat, you got medical bills, you got glasses, you got hearing aids,” said fellow protester Paul Durand.

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According to B.C.’s seniors advocate, pensions in the province grew just 14 per cent between 2015 and 2020.

“B.C. has one of the lowest income supplements in the country,” said Leslie Gaudette of the Council of Senior Citizens Organizations of B.C.

“And we have met with (B.C. Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction) Shelia Malcolmson to ask that it be raised to the top three in Canada.”

Gaudette states that a quarter of B.C. seniors live on $22,000 or less a year, which roughly equates to $1,800 a month to cover all expenses.

“Seniors, in particular, are hard hit and there are a lot of seniors who are homeless,” said protester Susan Brandoli. “No place to live and no place to go.”

“This is affecting their ability to connect with others in society,” said Gaudette. “It leads to social isolation, which leads into poor health.”

Some seniors tell Global News they will keep protesting until proper changes are made.

“If we don’t change or make noise about our pensions,” said Fawcett, “and about the fact we don’t get much, we’re not going to get anywhere.”